You don't even know what I think~ you're just guessing based on what I've posted. It wouldn't be much of a discussion if everybody agreed, would it? As far as a 'debate', not really interested, debating suggests there's a winner position and that's not appropriate to this topic.

I firmly believe in free speech as well as personal responsibility. I have observed, unfortunately, that they don't necessarily go hand in hand.

I'm going on what you said and the words you chose to communicate your thoughts. Say what you mean not mean what you say.

Not sure I can put things in words~ right now, I'm troubled. I believe in our freedoms and rights. They are what makes America great. BY THE PEOPLE. I don't believe government should monitor the Internet even if it were possible.

But I wonder what's the resistance for intelligent people monitoring themselves? Personal responsibility. Everything written is global now. Facebook, blogs, even this forum/thread. Anyone, anywhere can read it. And take offense. Yes, that would be their responsibility, but we're talking about people who believe names do hurt, cultures where honor is more important than life. Having a right and bashing people over the head with it are not the same thing.

Was the video just an excuse? Of course! I'm sure some thing are universal, finding a justification for doing something you wanted to do anyway, just didn't want to be blamed. Like none of us have ever played the *look what you made me do* card.

I don't have any answers. The world has changed so much since I was a kid~ we didn't even have color TV! The last 20 years have just exploded with technology~ how do we handle these changes? Should we set an example of discretion? If you can't say something nice? I wish I knew.

I am replying to the last comment of Nady. I don't like the timing of his questions, but he is right about asking them.
There are reasons to be concerned about the demagoguery of absolute freedom of speech and European countries correctly have some limitations. After all Europe had a different experience and who knows maybe, maybe, maybe some, many (how many? millions?) paid with their lives for American insistence of accepting hate speech. Yes, I have negative eugenics and Henry Ford, for example, in mind.
There is a book by Jeremy Waldron's "The Harm in Hate Speech" which I intend to read.

The problem we now, in time of global technology, are facing is serious. In countless countries of the world there is official, promoted by clerical/secular power 24/7 hate propaganda against others ethnic, religious or national groups. The same powers silence any individual who in a far away corner isn't careful.
I still don't understand why there is silence about this woman illustrator in Seattle (!!!!) who drew Mohammed in support of a fellow artist in Denmark (?) and had to be swiftly carried away (with a new identity, cut off contacts) by security forces.

There are reasons to be concerned about the demagoguery of absolute freedom of speech and European countries correctly have some limitations. After all Europe had a different experience and who knows maybe, maybe, maybe some, many (how many? millions?) paid with their lives for American insistence of accepting hate speech. .....

I'm sorry, are you suggesting that American insistence on free speech caused (potentially) millions of European deaths? Care to expound on that?

Who decides what is "hate speech" and what is just uncomfortable truth?

When is speech against the government allowed and when is it against the common good and therefore should be banned?

If I say the USDA is biased and doesn't have the population's best interests at heart, is the hate speech?

As much as I absolutely despise racist, sexist or discriminatory speech of any kind, it HAS to be allowed or you lose dissenting opinions of all types, and that's never good.

Which government? Ours? Well, that's what free speech is all about. You have the right to criticize OUR government. It says nothing about anyone else's and doesn't promise protection from retaliation if you do.

I'm sorry, are you suggesting that American insistence on free speech caused (potentially) millions of European deaths? Care to expound on that?

I wouldn't say caused, but I'd risked "contributed" - to what degree is impossible to measure. I mentioned negative eugenics and Henry Ford. Why don't you check .. the connections - they are well known.

Which government? Ours? Well, that's what free speech is all about. You have the right to criticize OUR government. It says nothing about anyone else's and doesn't promise protection from retaliation if you do.

Another country punishing a member of a different country for exercising their own right... Sounds like an act of war to me...